One of the favorite phrases we use on an Altar retreat is pause, look, listen and observe. Giving attention to what and who is around us is what makes life special, fills it with meaning, and helps us connect to the present moment. 

Thinking of mindfulness and attention, several vignettes come to mind:

• Sitting on a rock, looking over a quiet lake, with the leaves beginning to change colors after a hike, I finally paused and noticed the explosion of beauty around me. Was all this here as I walked? Why do I look down at the path and talk to myself instead of lifting my eyes to see countless miracles around me through God’s creation? In a moment of pausing, looking, and listening, I felt the weight of God’s glory as CS Lewis would say. Amazing!
• “Dad, look at me…watch me do this.” How many of our kids have said this time and again throughout their years? Or, before there are words to be spoken, young children light up with laughter and smiles when our face appears before them and we say, “Peek-a-boo. I see you.”

Relationships, with God and others, are core to what it means to be human. How we “see” and allow ourselves to be seen can color your world with joy, goodness, love, and support or it can leave us alone, detached, filled with shame, or isolated. We will either find partners for the journey and be a quality partner for others, or we will rob ourselves (and others) of the goodness of mutual connection and strength. 

Who do you need to see in your life? Who or what is right in front of you, that if you paused, looked, listened and observed, would capture your attention and open a pathway to be present with greater attention and awareness? Imagine what it would mean for another person if they felt, “You see me. You get me. You love me through your presence.”

Imagine what it would mean for you if you felt seen and heard. Imagine having space to be yourself in the presence of another and receiving the gift of their interest and attention in your life. 

Relationships are foundational to our health, formation, and wellbeing. We are created to see and be seen. Only through pausing, looking, listening and observing can we be present, attentive and aware of the miracles contained in the relationships around us.

Choose one or more of these practical steps to see and be seen:

• Spend one hour with someone you need to see. During your time, simply ask questions and listen to them giving them your full attention.
• Write a note of gratitude to someone you appreciate in this season of life.
• Take 30-60 minutes to sit quietly and pause, look, and listen to your own life/soul. What do you see in YOU? Who is one person you could share the story of your current season in life (highs, lows, desires, worries, celebrations, needs…)?
• Spend 30 minutes reading Psalm 139 several times, sitting quietly and receiving God’s love for you. What do you need to say to Him in response to his grace and mercy in your life?

_{Eric Camfield | October 2024}